He’s been arrested. He’s CIS gender with a wife and kids. Rabbi Mike Moskowitz is also an orthodox Jew’is and he is one of the biggest supporters of the queer community. Rabbi Moskowitz is the Scholar-in-Residence for Trans and Queer Jewish Studies at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the world’s largest LGBT synagogue.  He is a deeply traditional and radically progressive advocate for trans rights and a vocal ally for LGBTQ inclusivity.  Rabbi Moskowitz received three Ultra-Orthodox ordinations while learning in the Mir in Jerusalem and BMG in Lakewood, NJ. He is a Wexner Field Fello ..read more

We’re going to Brazil for this podcast. Brazil is famous for some soccer players; you remember Pele and others. It’s the largest country in South America, it has 4 times zones…60 percent of the amazon rainforest is in Brazil, their flag has 27 stars on it and they speak Portuguese there.  And the food looks amazing there. I have never been to Brazil, but Gabriel Johnson was born and raised there!  Gabriel is the Projects and Institutional Relations Coordinator at Unidos pela Vida - Brazilian Institute of Cystic Fibrosis Care, has worked for nonprofits for the last 8 years ..read more

Aliyah Novelli was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as an infant.  Today, she's a licensed social worker practicing as a child and family therapist at The Center for Change and Growth in Ardmore, PA.   Aliyah is full of enthusiasm about her new program: mindfulness. The CF Foundation awarded her with a CF Impact grant to get it started. Aliyah launched her mindfulness program this year. It's for a program for adults 18 to 35 years old on CF modulators. Aliyah earned her master's degree in social work at the University of Pennsylvania. She also got a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts ..read more

  Aliyah Novelli was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as an infant.  Today, she's paying it forward as a social worker at Jefferson Adult CF center in Philadelphia.  Aliyah is full of enthusiasm about her new program: mindfulness. The CF Foundation awarded her with a CF Impact grant to get it started. Aliyah launched her mindfulness program this year. It's for a program for adults 18 to 35 years old on CF modulators. Aliyah earned her master's degree in social work at the University of Pennsylvania. She also got a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts in dance at Temple University. Aliya ..read more

Canadian, Vicky Maldonado is the mother of a young boy living with a rare genetic form of CF. Sebastian is 6 years old, and a twin. The road to diagnosis was challenging. Sebastian was diagnosed with two rare CF genes after repeated respiratory infections and two hospitalizations. “We were told that Sebastian likely didn’t have CF because he’s “not White”— his parents are Canadian-born Latinos from Ecuador. Though CF affects all races and ethnicities, there’s still a common misconception among health-care providers that it is a predominantly White disease.” Vicky and her husband ..read more

A better future for health for: All of Us! Dr. Josh Denny is the All of Us Research program, CEO. A program that comes from the National Institute of Health.  The Bonnell Foundation is all about Science and Innovation! And he has a CF connect via his father! The goal of All of Us is to enroll 1 million people to build one of the most diverse health databases in history. This would allow resources to accelerate precision medicine for all populations.  This is critical to the future of our planet and population in my opinion…. but it’s clearly why they called the program: All of Us. To ..read more

This is our third podcast with Alan Klein, the Chief Development Officer Healthwell. As a reminder Healthwell was paying about $25 million each year for CF co-pays in therapeutics. But because of the lack of funding from their corporate sponsors they stopped helping existing patients and couldn’t help new applicatns with their CF bills. Healthwell closed their CF Treatment Fund to new and re-enrolling patients in 2023 with no word or idea when they would start up again. There was a lot of fear when this happened in August 0f 2023. The CF Vitamin and Supplement Fund did remain open, but th ..read more

(Please consider subscribing to our podcast and rating it. It helps us with promotion. Thank you) What a treat for all of us today.  Nicholas Kelly is in the house. I've wanted him on our podcast for a while.   Nick was diagnosed with CF when he was 3 months old. Nick has so many accomplishments.  He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Bowling Green State University. Nick is a dietitian.  But that is not all, he is an author, dancer, and a speaker. Once you start watching his videos you won’t be able to stop. Trust is something you must start from within, to t ..read more

Karen McEwan’s daughter, Elana, is 20 years old.  It’s been a complex journey from birth to today. Elana suffers from a rare, incurable disease called Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD).  This is the first podcast that is not about cystic fibrosis specifically, although you will see the connection. It’s about chronic illness and Mom’s connecting and parents doing all they can for their children. We go through the same anxiety, fear, frustrations, you name it, we can relate.  Karen also has a younger daughter, Madison who does not have a rare disease. Karen is a strong person shari ..read more

Rena Barrow has two kids with CF, Jarrod is 22 and Jahsir is 3 years old. Over the years she’s witnessed a discrepancy in care for people of color.  Even after her 22 year old son was diagnosed, doctors weren't sure her newborn baby had CF, They told her, "Maybe it was sickle cell."  She fought until her son Jahsir was properly diagnosed. The delay in diagnosis took a toll on her little guy.  When he ate he was always in pain (not prescribed enzymes until diagnosis) so now he has an aversion to food.  Rena is motivated by her personal and avoidable situation to raise awaren ..read more